Results 7,641-7,660 of 21,514 for speaker:Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
- Freedom of Information. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Is the Taoiseach not aware, for example, that the Irish Banking Federation, in an explicit statement to the Department of Finance described as a "confidential submission", argued strenuously that the FOI Act should not apply to NAMA? There was no reference whatsoever to freedom of information in the legislation presented regarding NAMA. We had to depend on a query under the FOI Act to even...
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Question 6: To ask the Taoiseach the cost of the communications unit in his Department in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3456/10]
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: This is a gravely serious matter. If the communications unit did not bring the information regarding Minister O'Dea's withdrawal of the allegation in the affidavit he presented to the High Court earlier in the year and the Minister did not inform the Taoiseach prior to his apology and retraction in the High Court-----
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I will ask the questions and the Taoiseach can then answer them. On where does the Taoiseach rely for information flow if his Ministers do not give him at least a heads up regarding such a serious matter or the communications unit does not bring it to his attention? It brings into question the Minister, in the first instance, and the focus of this set of questions regarding the...
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It is not an allegation.
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It is a fact already established.
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: In terms of the focus of these questions, sadly there is more that should be addressed here at this point. Will the Taoiseach offer the House a sample of exactly what the communications unit present and bring to his attention? We have no evidence of what it does only what we have learned today, namely, that it does not bring such matters of grave importance to the Taoiseach's attention.
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: That is what the Taoiseach has indicated to us.
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: What does the communications unit do and what does it report to the Taoiseach? What information does it provide to him on a daily basis to justify the expenditure on it of so much public money?
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: The Taoiseach is stating that Ministers have two different lives; they can divorce political commentary in their respective constituencies from their role as Ministers. I find the answer incredible. The code of ethics and conduct that applies to Ministers must be in effect at all times with regard to their holding an office. There cannot be a relaxation to the point that they can publicly...
- Departmental Expenditure. (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It is outrageous to claim the Minister has no accountability for such actions and utterances. Ministers should at all times be accountable.
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It is not agreed.
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Whatever about the statement to be heard, the facts themselves are damning. A Cabinet Minister made a sworn affidavit to the High Court-----
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I will have the opportunity to speak as others have already spoken.
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I am not making derogatory remarks; I am stating the facts.
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I am making no false accusation about anybody. I am recording what we know to be the case. A Cabinet Minister misled the High Court with a sworn affidavit falsely claiming that he did not make a grossly defamatory statement against an individual citizen who was then a candidate in the local government elections.
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: That is what happened.
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It is not an allegation. The Minister subsequently withdrew the affidavit and, indeed, admitted the defamation. He did this while a Cabinet Minister. This was not a case between two members of the public, as the Taoiseach would have-----
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: This is not, as the Taoiseach would have had us believe earlier this afternoon, a matter between two private citizens.
- Order of Business (16 Feb 2010)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: This action was taken and performed by a sitting member of the Cabinet. Make no mistake about it. This is a serious matter and, as others have said, the facilitation of a statement alone is totally inadequate. The right of Members to properly question the Minister is something that should be upheld by the Taoiseach and insisted upon by the Ceann Comhairle. Furthermore, based on the facts...